AKA (rapper)

AKA
Forbes in 2014
Born
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes Handler

(1988-01-28)28 January 1988
Cape Town, South Africa
Died10 February 2023(2023-02-10) (aged 35)
Durban, South Africa
Cause of deathMurder (gunshot wound)
Other names
  • SupaMega
  • Bhova
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • singer
  • audio engineer
  • entrepreneur
  • record producer
Years active2002–2023
WorksDiscography
Partners
  • DJ Zinhle (2012–2015; 2018–2019)
  • Bonang Matheba (2015–2017)[1]
  • Anele Tembe
    ​
    (died 2021)​
  • Nadia Nakai
    (2022–2023; his death)
Children1
Musical career
OriginJohannesburg, South Africa
Genres
Instruments
Labels
  • Vth Season
  • Beam Group (former)[2]
Sony Music Africa

Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (28 January 1988 – 10 February 2023),[3] known professionally as AKA, was a South African rapper, record producer, and businessman. Born in Cape Town and raised in Johannesburg, Forbes gained recognition after releasing his single "Victory Lap" from his debut studio album, Altar Ego (2011). He was one of the most popular South African musicians of his era and the best-selling South African hip hop artist of all-time.[4]

Forbes continued his success by releasing studio albums including Levels (2014), a collaborative album with Anatii titled Be Careful What You Wish For (2017), Touch My Blood (2018) and his final album, Mass Country (2023).

On 10 February 2023, Forbes was shot dead outside a restaurant in Durban.[5]

  1. ^ "AKA and Bonang – why it's never a good look to trash your exes and the lesson we can learn from it". News24. 1 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. ^ KEKANA, CHRIZELDA. "AKA's Beam Group is shutting down!". TimesLIVE. TSHISALIVE. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  3. ^ Valerii, Eddy (24 September 2020). "AKA Biography – The Rapper's Age 35, Real Name and Life Story". Buzz South Africa.
  4. ^ Lebeloane, Nkamogeleng (12 February 2023). "AKA – the epitome & G.O.A.T of SA Hip-Hop". POWER 98.7. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  5. ^ Se-Anne Rall (10 February 2023). "Rapper AKA shot dead on Florida Road, Durban". IOL. Retrieved 11 February 2023.